Beaphar Care+ Hamster Food

Catherine Spark · 12-16-2011, 07:29 AM

I was just interested to know whether people thought this brand of monocomponent food is good from a nutritional point of view? Has anyone used it for their hams? If so, did their hams seem to enjoy it, and did it keep them in good condition?

I ask because it is a monocomponent diet, and when we get Benny - our prospective new hamster - we will probably want at least part of his diet to be made up of monocomponent food, like Oakie's was.

Although Oakie's 'Supreme Science Selective' heart biscuits worked well for him, they had to be ordered online. This brand, on the other hand, is stocked in a pet shop just down the road, so if we are running low Benny's food source won't potentially be put in jeopardy by hitches with the order, and things like that. That happened once with Oakie, and we had to buy some emergency hamster mix which he didn't care for.

There is also more in a bag than there was for the supreme science selective biscuits that we ordered. Plus there was a rumour I read somewhere (I'm not sure if it was true or not, and have found no mention of it when I googled it just now), that supreme science selective rat food gave rats a slightly increased risk of cancer. I don't know if it is the same with the hamster version.

For these reasons I am considering switching to this brand of monocomponent diet when we get Benny in the new year. However, if people don't think it's the best kind of food, or the best quality of food to give, then of course we wouldn't want to use it. I have never seen it stocked before, so was curious to know if anyone here has any experience with it? Thanks

Demecat · 12-16-2011, 07:42 AM

I'm interested in this too as I'm considering mixing it in with my hamsters' Harry Hamster.

pelicano · 12-19-2011, 04:07 AM

I've used it to add to Boris the syrian's mix (as he's a real fusspot). He liked it at first, then he started to igore all the pieces, so I probably wouldn't buy it again.

Catherine Spark · 12-20-2011, 01:29 PM

Thanks pelicano - sounds like it would be really good to get a smaller sample if possible, to see if a hamster enjoyed it. I wonder if they do such a thing?

Anthorn · 07-28-2013, 02:08 AM

My care for my hamsters can I suppose be described as hamster centric as opposed to owner centric. When I feed an all-in-one I'm conscious of the fact that it won't foster the hamster's natural instinct to forage. But in my experience that instinct is fostered by Beaphar Care + because of the different sizes and shapes in the feed. For example my youngest will leave the green crescent moon shape till last and if that's not eaten within 24 hours it will be removed and replaced with fresh food so it will not get eaten at all. So he is still feeding selectively and his instinct to forage is still being fostered. But the difference is that since the feed is an all-in-one all the pieces have the same nutritional value so he's not missing out. If I were to feed an all-in-one which has a uniform shape and size throughout that opportunity to forage would be missing.

The objections to the feed which I have seen is the smell which to me is Basil but I have seen it described as a dentist's surgery. Whatever it is it does have a deodorising effect in the cage. Yes hamsters do get bored with the feed from time to time as they do with any feed which is why we should add variety. I like adding a teaspoon of Beaphar Snack Fruit and Nuts occasionally but there are loads of other snacks equally suitable.

Lastly, highlighted on some food lists is that the ingredients list is very general and not specific and that's true. But Beaphar is really no different to any other feed in that if we don't trust a manufacturer to provide the best for our hamsters then we don't buy from that manufacturer and buy from a manufacture we do trust!

evel_lin · 07-28-2013, 02:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anthorn

My care for my hamsters can I suppose be described as hamster centric as opposed to owner centric.

isn't that true for everyone on this forum?

OP I'm afraid I've never tried that particular mix with my hamsters. I give mine a variety of commercial mixes mixed together and then add a few mealworms, porridge oats, sunflower and safflower seeds etc as well as supplementing with fresh veg etc. almost daily. I use Science Selective hearts as a treat rather than the main mix

racinghamster · 07-28-2013, 02:47 AM

I can`t comment on this particular food, but I did buy a bag of the Care+ mouse food that Beaphar do and it smelled very strong and my mice hated it! Needless to say I stuck with the seed mixes. The coloured biscuits are light weight and shaped. I just didn`t like it and neither did my mice.

Munchalot · 07-28-2013, 03:36 AM

Personally, I would rate this as a rather poor quality brand of food. Not only is it formed almost entirely of cheap grains and vegetable/animal by-products, but it has loads of chemical additives. It also smells horrible, and almost every bag I have opened at work always seems to look and smell rancid. At work, when we've run out of the hamster food we feed the shop hamsters, we sometimes have to break open a bag of this to make do. I've never seen a hamster give it a second glance, and I don't blame them!

Anthorn · 07-28-2013, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Munchalot

Not only is it formed almost entirely of cheap grains and vegetable/animal by-products, but it has loads of chemical additives.

Can you please post a link to that information which I will find interesting. Many thanks in anticipation.

I've been using this food now for over 3 years and I can honestly say that in that time it has always been eagerly eaten by my hamsters. But the same in true of Pets At Home Nuggets.

Munchalot · 07-28-2013, 06:11 AM

My internet is being very slow, and I can't find a page that sells this food which displays the compositions. But if my memory serves, the composition list goes something like:

(EDIT (found info))
Cereals, derivatives of vegetable origin, meat and animal derivatives, seeds, minerals, vegetable protein extracts, Yucca Schidigera, algae (Spirulina 0.01%).

As we all know, the word 'derivative' is a broad umbrella term used in the food industry, to avoid putting the phrase 'by-product' on the packaging. Basically, trying to hide the fact that it's all waste matter bought cheaply off the human food production line.
The vegetable derivatives will be peelings, stalks, husks, pieces that were not passes as suitable for human consumption, starch and fat extraction, ect.
The animal derivatives will be waste from the slaughter house. Because it just says 'meat and animal derivatives' it does not specify source, so matter from literally ANY animal can be used. It will be the waste from carcasses that are unsuitable for human consumption, e.g. heads, hooves, claws, feathers, hair, eyes, bowl/stomach contents and rendered fat from the carcass, which is often rancid and plain disgusting.

Because it is formed of waste matter and bulking agents, there is very little nutrional value. Plus, whatever nutrients that were present will have been destroyed in the processing, e.g. vitamins. This means that in order to call it 'complete' they have to artificially add these nutrients back into the food by way of chemical form. The fact that the packaging does not give detail on the nutritional additives is not encouraging.

So, to some up, this is a very cheaply produced feed that is made dominantly of cheap cereals and by-products, and whatever nutrtional value is present has been artificially added.

This is the main reason why I do not like pelleted/biscuit mixes, and instead opt for feed with whole natural components.
And as a note, Pets at Home produce very cheap, and rather basic or even poor quality feed - then charge you an arm and a leg for it. :L